Apparently the Pad Thai from Monday night was such a hit with Matt that he made more on Tuesday while I worked late. This time he made enough for us to even have leftovers on Wednesday night.

Blurry, but delish.

And yes, I realize that this means Matt has eaten Pad Thai for three nights in a row. It was delicious, however, after dinner, things went terribly wrong. Matt decided he had not had enough to eat and decided to cook up a random shrimp concoction. This produced the most awful smell that has ever been in our kitchen. Words can not describe it. I lit every candle in the house hoping that Vanilla Bean and Sea & Sand would over power whatever was taking over my senses. Anyone who has met me knows that I have zero sense of smell so the fact that this mystery smell haunted me all night says A LOT.

Backing up though…

Before Matt ruined our house, we did other smelly things. Like join a gym. We had been looking at gyms for the past week or so trying to figure out which one would be right for us before settling on this one. How did we decide? Well, Groupon offered us a deal that was slightly above dirt cheap. What can I say, money talks. Of course, there were a few other factors that we liked too. If you are looking for a gym, here are some things to consider before joining:

Location

If the gym is over the river and through the woods, you will probably not go very often. In an ideal situation, I would like a gym with locations near my house and office to make it almost impossible for me to not go. But if I had to choose, I would choose a gym close to my house. Walking/running distance would be ideal because ain’t nobody got time for traffic.

Clients They Cater To

Whether you are a cardio queen or prefer to deadlift a Honda, it is important to find a gym that finds your needs. I once went to a gym where 90% of their clientele had muscles bigger than my head and all I heard was grunting and “Good set, bro”. The cardio machines were out of date, I constantly felt out of place, and it was more of a singles mingle than gym. I didn’t last very long.

New Possibilities

As much as it is important to find a gym with things you know you already like, I like to try to find a gym with new to you things as well. If your gym offers dozens of classes you have tons of opportunities to check out new workouts and possibly find your next favorite workout. This will help you avoid boredom burnout and your muscles won’t get lazy.

Friends

If you are known for skipping the gym for froyo (guilty), consider joining a gym that your exercise obsessed friend goes to. Having a gym buddy you can make dates with keeps you accountable and time flies by when you are working out with someone.

Staff

Is the staff friendly? Do they seem competent? Will they show you how to use the equipment with out making you feel bad for interrupting their personal conversations about last nights’ party? I have quit a gym before because of horrible front desk service.

Read, Read, Read!

YouTube Link

Gyms are known for sneaking in tricks which can cost you. Pay attention to annual “improvement fees”, sign up fees, etc. Also, make note of their cancelation policy. A lot of gyms require a 30 day notice so find out when the monthly fees are charged and give them the appropriate notice. Ask questions. LOTS.

Extra Perks

Personally, I am awful at haggling but feel free to try to negotiate. I have heard of people getting free training sessions, a month of upgraded services, free guest passes, etc. The worst thing they can say is no.

Price

Sure, Ryan Gosling might be in the spin class dabbing the sweat from my forehead, but if the monthly fees require me to skip lunch and dinner 5 nights a week, it probably isn’t worth it <—-That is such a lie. The Gos would TOTALLY be worth it.

Do you have a sensitive sense of smell?

Not at all. Matt teases me all the time because I can never smell things.

Gym people: What made you chose your gym?